Before the Maine Went Down.
Copyright, 1898, by Charles Coleman
Words by Augusta Howe Chambers. Music by Charles Coleman
The stars in heaven's blue flag of state shone o'er Havana Bay,
Where all, unwarned by treach'rous fate, our mighty cruiser lay,
And many sailors dreamed that night of fame and war's renown,
Of laurels won where heroes fight Before the Maine went down.
Chorus.
Before the Maine went down, mothers and matrons and sweethearte.
in hamlet St village & town, prayed for and wrote to their darlings.
Before the Maine went down, letters came back from the laddies
Love-laden, home, swift o'er the foam, before the Maine went down.
In many homes each absent face shone in the fire-light's gleam,
Or crossed to seek its vacant place, the threshold or some dream,
But now a nation mourns their loss, brave hearts no fear could drown,
They died to save their country's cause, the night the Maine went down.
-Cho.